The Trade Mission SMM Hamburg 2026 is a three-day international programme organised by InnovationQuarter, Rotterdam Partners, the City of Rotterdam, Rotterdam Maritime Capital of Europe and DronePort Rotterdam. It brings together innovative startups, scale-ups and maritime technology companies to explore new business opportunities, build strategic partnerships and connect with one of the world's leading maritime ecosystems.

Through site visits, networking sessions and participation in SMM Hamburg, the mission focuses on accelerating innovation in ports, shipping, logistics and autonomous and uncrewed systems, while strengthening international collaboration and market access.

DroneHorizon 2026 is the second edition of a multi-year European collaboration between three leading port and innovation ecosystems: the Port of Rotterdam, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Hamburg Port Authority, DronePort Rotterdam, and The Beacon.

Taking place on 15 September 2026 in Antwerp, DroneHorizon opens Port of the Future Week — three days of groundbreaking innovations in autonomous and sustainable technology in port environments, featuring live demos, showcases, expert insights, and international collaboration.

Thank you to everyone who joined this edition of DronePort Connects. Together with industry leaders, policymakers, researchers and innovators, we explored the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of autonomous and uncrewed systems.